Executives from DePuy Orthopaedics have been ordered to testify in ASR hip implant law suits in the USA. DePuy is a unit of health care giant, Johnson & Johnson.
The eight former and current DePuy executives must testify in the multi-district litigation concerning the recalled DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip implants.
According to Court documents in the USA, DePuy’s worldwide hip development director, manager of clinical research and six other executives are due to testify.
DePuy recalled its ASR hip resurfacing system and ASR Acetabular System after data from the National Joint Registry of England and Wales showed that one out of every eight patients who had received the devices had to undergo revision surgery within five years. A total of 93,000 implants were sold worldwide, including over 3,500 in Ireland.
A number of DePuy ASR summonses have been filed in the past few months by Irish law firms. Complaints allege that the metal-on-metal hip replacements can shed dangerous amounts of chromium and cobalt into patients’ blood streams leading to serious health problems including pain, swelling and dislocation. It is alleged that they can also cause metallosis that results in tissue and bone loss, the formation of pseudo tumours and long term heart, kidney, nerve and thyroid problems.
Earlier this month, DePuy and Johnson & Johnson agreed to settle three claims for a total of $600,000.00. The company has not yet entered into settlement discussions with Irish lawyers representing Irish patients but it is anticipated that settlement discussions will take place as soon as the cases are listed for hearing in the High Court.
